This invention relates to non-lethal weapons, i.e., stun guns, and more particularly to a non-lethal neuromuscular disrupter that uses an untethered liquid projectile.
Non-lethal neuromuscular disrupter weapons, sometimes referred to as xe2x80x9cstun gunsxe2x80x9d, use a handpiece to deliver a high voltage charge to a human or animal target. The high voltage causes the target""s muscles to contract uncontrollably, thereby disabling the target without causing permanent physical damage.
The most well known type of stun gun is known as the TASER gun. TASER guns look like pistols but use compressed air to fire two darts from a handpiece. The darts trail conductive wires back to the handpiece. When the darts strike their human or animal target, a high voltage charge is carried down the wire. A typical discharge is a pulsed discharge at 0.3 joules per pulse. Taser guns and other guns of that type (herein referred to as neuromuscular disrupter guns or NDGs) are useful in situations when a firearm is inappropriate. However, a shortcoming of conventional NDGs is the need for physical connection between the target and the source of electrical power, i.e., the handpiece. This requirement limits the range of the NDG to 20 feet or so.
One approach to eliminating the physical connection is to use an ionized air path to the target. For example, it might be possible to ionize the air between the handpiece and the target by using high powered bursts or other air-ionizing techniques. However, this approach unduly complicates an otherwise simple weapon. An example of a NDG that uses conductive air paths to deliver a charge to the target is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,103, entitled xe2x80x9cNon-Lethal Tenanizing Weaponxe2x80x9d, to Herr.
Another approach to providing a wireless NDG is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,962,806, entitled xe2x80x9cNon-Lethal Projectile for Delivering an Electric Shock to a Living Targetxe2x80x9d, to Coakley, et al. The electrical charge is generated within the projectile by means of a battery powered converter within the projectile.
One aspect of the invention is a projectile for use with a neuromuscular disrupter gun for delivery of an electrical charge to a target. The projectile has an outer housing suitable for containing liquid. A capacitor is contained within the housing, with either the dielectric or the plates of the capacitor being made from a liquid material. Contacts are used to charge the capacitor, with the charge being delivered from a charging circuit in the gun. The capacitor may be charged prior to firing of the gun and it will discharge upon impact by releasing conductive liquid.
An advantage of the invention is that it combines existing ballistic technology with new materials and new electric components to produce a non-lethal tetherless NDG. The NDG is xe2x80x9ctetherlessxe2x80x9d in the sense that there is no need for a conductive path back to the gun.
The NDG uses a projectile that is essentially a liquid-based capacitor. The projectile is charged prior to being fired and carries the charge in flight. Thus, rather than being charged after striking the target via connecting wires or an air path, the projectile is charged prior to being fired and carries the charge in flight. It is expected that the NDG can have ballistic characteristics similar to those of a shotgun or compressed air paintball gun, with a delivery range of at least 60 meters.